Communication system, communication method, and shared-authentication apparatus

Abstract

A communication system which causes a terminal apparatus to access a server apparatus via a network includes a server management apparatus between the network and at lest one server apparatus. The server management apparatus performs processing of establishing a session for a communication partner terminal via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network on behalf of the server apparatus.

1 - 62 . (canceled) 
     
     
         63 . A communication system comprising a shared-authentication apparatus comprising a determination unit that determines whether a user of a terminal apparatus which accesses a server apparatus via a network has an authority to use the server apparatus, and a sharing control unit that controls, based on a determination result of said determination unit, whether to allow session establishment processing which is performed via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network upon communication between the terminal apparatus and the server apparatus,
 wherein said shared-authentication apparatus is provided in the server apparatus which performs the session establishment processing.   
     
     
         64 . A communication system comprising a shared-authentication apparatus comprising a determination unit that determines whether a user of a terminal apparatus which accesses a server apparatus via a network has an authority to use the server apparatus, and a sharing control unit that controls, based on a determination result of said determination unit, whether to allow session establishment processing which is performed via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network upon communication between the terminal apparatus and the server apparatus,
 wherein said shared-authentication apparatus is provided in a server management apparatus which performs the session establishment processing on behalf of the server apparatus.   
     
     
         65 . A communication system according to  claim 64 , wherein the server management apparatus comprises a second storage unit that holds status information including a server identifier to be used to uniquely identify the server apparatus, a communication partner terminal that is accessing the server apparatus, and a session identifier to be used to uniquely identify a session, and records the status information of the session in said second storage unit when establishing the session. 
     
     
         66 . A communication system according to  claim 65 , wherein when disconnecting the session, the server management apparatus deletes the status information of the disconnected session from said second storage unit. 
     
     
         67 . A communication system according to  claim 64 , wherein the server management apparatus disconnects the session in synchronism with an event notification output from the server apparatus. 
     
     
         68 . A communication system according to  claim 67 , wherein the event notification represents that the user of the terminal apparatus has logged out from the server apparatus. 
     
     
         69 . A communication system according to  claim 67 , wherein the event notification represents that the user of the terminal apparatus has failed in logging in to the server apparatus. 
     
     
         70 . A communication system comprising a shared-authentication apparatus comprising a determination unit that determines whether a user of a terminal apparatus which accesses a server apparatus via a network has an authority to use the server apparatus, and a sharing control unit that controls, based on a determination result of said determination unit, whether to allow session establishment processing which is performed via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network upon communication between the terminal apparatus and the server apparatus,
 wherein the terminal apparatus is a communication session centralizing apparatus comprising a session control unit that performs the session establishment processing on behalf of at least one user terminal which receives a service provided by the server apparatus.   
     
     
         71 . A communication system according to  claim 70 , wherein
 the communication session centralizing apparatus comprises a third storage unit that holds a correspondence relationship between a user identifier to be used to uniquely identify the user of the terminal apparatus and a session identifier to be used to uniquely identify a session, and   said session control unit records the correspondence relationship in said third storage unit when establishing the session.   
     
     
         72 . A communication system according to  claim 71 , wherein when disconnecting the session, said session control unit deletes the correspondence relationship of the disconnected session from said third storage unit. 
     
     
         73 . A communication system according to  claim 70 , wherein said session control unit acquires a communication resource identifier used in the signaling protocol corresponding to a communication resource identifier of a communication partner included in a communication message output from the terminal apparatus by referring to a first table that holds a correspondence relationship between a communication resource identifier used in a communication protocol of the terminal apparatus and the communication resource identifier used in the signaling protocol, and establishes the session for the communication partner terminal specified by the acquired communication resource identifier. 
     
     
         74 . A communication system according to  claim 73 , wherein said session control unit acquires communication attribute information corresponding to the user of the terminal apparatus that has output the communication message by referring to a second table that holds a correspondence relationship between the communication attribute information and the user identifier to be used to uniquely identify the user of the terminal apparatus, and negotiates with the communication partner terminal using the acquired communication attribute information when establishing the session. 
     
     
         75 . A communication system according to  claim 73 , wherein said session control unit acquires communication attribute information corresponding to a combination of the user of the terminal apparatus that has output the communication message and the communication partner terminal by referring to a second table that holds a correspondence relationship between the communication attribute information, the user identifier to be used to uniquely identify the user of the terminal apparatus, and an identifier to be used to uniquely identify the communication partner terminal, and negotiates with the communication partner terminal using the acquired communication attribute information when establishing the session. 
     
     
         76 . A communication system according to  claim 70 , wherein the communication partner terminal with which said session control unit of the communication session centralizing apparatus negotiates is the server apparatus that provides a service to the terminal apparatus via the network. 
     
     
         77 . A communication system according to  claim 70 , wherein the communication partner terminal with which said session control unit of the communication session centralizing apparatus negotiates is a server management apparatus that performs session establishment processing and session disconnection processing on behalf of the server apparatus that provides a service to the terminal apparatus via the network. 
     
     
         78 . A communication method comprising:
 the first step of determining whether a user of a terminal apparatus which accesses a server apparatus via a network has an authority to use the server apparatus; and   the second step of controlling, based on a result of determination, whether to allow session establishment processing which is performed via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network upon communication between the terminal apparatus and the server apparatus,   wherein the first step and the second step are performed by the server apparatus which performs the session establishment processing.   
     
     
         79 . A communication method comprising:
 the first step of determining whether a user of a terminal apparatus which accesses a server apparatus via a network has an authority to use the server apparatus; and   the second step of controlling, based on a result of determination, whether to allow session establishment processing which is performed via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network upon communication between the terminal apparatus and the server apparatus,   wherein the first step and the second step are performed by a server management apparatus which performs the session establishment processing on behalf of the server apparatus.   
     
     
         80 . A communication method according to  claim 79 , further comprising the third step of recording, when establishing the session, the status information of the session in second storage means for holding status information including a server identifier to be used to uniquely identify the server apparatus, a communication partner terminal that is accessing the server apparatus, and a session identifier to be used to uniquely identify a session. 
     
     
         81 . A communication method comprising:
 the first step of determining whether a user of a terminal apparatus which accesses a server apparatus via a network has an authority to use the server apparatus; and   the second step of controlling, based on a result of determination, whether to allow session establishment processing which is performed via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network upon communication between the terminal apparatus and the server apparatus,   wherein in the first step, first storage means for holding a set of a user identifier to be used to uniquely identify the user of the terminal apparatus and a list of server identifiers each of which is to be used to uniquely identify at least one of a usable server apparatus and an unusable server apparatus is referred to, and   the method further comprises the fourth step of, when disconnecting the session, deleting status information of the disconnected session from the first storage means.   
     
     
         82 . A communication method according to  claim 79 , further comprising the fifth step of disconnecting the session in synchronism with an event notification output from the server apparatus. 
     
     
         83 . A communication method according to  claim 82 , wherein the event notification represents that the user of the terminal apparatus has logged out from the server apparatus. 
     
     
         84 . A communication method according to  claim 82 , wherein the event notification represents that the user of the terminal apparatus has failed in logging in to the server apparatus. 
     
     
         85 . A communication method comprising:
 the first step of determining whether a user of a terminal apparatus which accesses a server apparatus via a network has an authority to use the server apparatus; and   the second step of controlling, based on a result of determination, whether to allow session establishment processing which is performed via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network upon communication between the terminal apparatus and the server apparatus,   wherein the first step and the second step are performed by the terminal apparatus that performs the session establishment processing on behalf of at least one user terminal which receives a service provided by the server apparatus.   
     
     
         86 . A communication method according to  claim 85 , further comprising the sixth step of recording, when establishing the session, the correspondence relationship in third storage means for holding a correspondence relationship between a user identifier to be used to uniquely identify the user of the terminal apparatus and a session identifier to be used to uniquely identify a session. 
     
     
         87 . A communication method according to  claim 86 , further comprising the seventh step of, when disconnecting the session, deleting the correspondence relationship of the disconnected session from the third storage means. 
     
     
         88 . A communication method according to  claim 85 , further comprising:
 the eighth step of acquiring a communication resource identifier used in the signaling protocol corresponding to a communication resource identifier of a communication partner included in a communication message output from the terminal apparatus by referring to a first table that holds a correspondence relationship between a communication resource identifier used in a communication protocol of the terminal apparatus and the communication resource identifier used in the signaling protocol; and   the ninth step of establishing the session for the communication partner terminal specified by the acquired communication resource identifier.   
     
     
         89 . A communication method according to  claim 88 , further comprising:
 the 10th step of acquiring communication attribute information corresponding to the user of the terminal apparatus that has output the communication message by referring to a second table that holds a correspondence relationship between the communication attribute information and the user identifier to be used to uniquely identify the user of the terminal apparatus; and   the 11th step of negotiating with the communication partner terminal using the acquired communication attribute information when establishing the session.   
     
     
         90 . A communication method according to  claim 88 , further comprising:
 the 10th step of acquiring communication attribute information corresponding to a combination of the user of the terminal apparatus that has output the communication message and the communication partner terminal by referring to a second table that holds a correspondence relationship between the communication attribute information, the user identifier to be used to uniquely identify the user of the terminal apparatus, and an identifier to be used to uniquely identify the communication partner terminal; and   the 11th step of negotiating with the communication partner terminal using the acquired communication attribute information when establishing the session.   
     
     
         91 . A communication method according to  claim 85 , wherein the communication partner terminal with which the negotiation is made is the server apparatus that provides a service to the terminal apparatus via the network. 
     
     
         92 . A communication method according to  claim 85 , wherein the communication partner terminal with which the negotiation is made is a server management apparatus that performs session establishment processing and session disconnection processing on behalf of the server apparatus that provides a service to the terminal apparatus via the network. 
     
     
         93 . A shared-authentication apparatus comprising:
 a determination unit that determines whether a user of a terminal apparatus which accesses a server apparatus via a network has an authority to use the server apparatus; and   a sharing control unit that controls, based on a determination result of said determination unit, whether to allow session establishment processing which is performed via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network upon communication between the terminal apparatus and the server apparatus,   wherein said sharing control unit is provided in the server apparatus which performs the session establishment processing.   
     
     
         94 . A shared-authentication apparatus comprising:
 a determination unit that determines whether a user of a terminal apparatus which accesses a server apparatus via a network has an authority to use the server apparatus; and   a sharing control unit that controls, based on a determination result of said determination unit, whether to allow session establishment processing which is performed via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network upon communication between the terminal apparatus and the server apparatus,   wherein said sharing control unit is provided in a server management apparatus which performs the session establishment processing on behalf of the server apparatus.   
     
     
         95 . A shared-authentication apparatus according to  claim 94 , wherein the server management apparatus comprises second storage unit for holding status information including a server identifier to be used to uniquely identify the server apparatus, a communication partner terminal that is accessing the server apparatus, and a session identifier to be used to uniquely identify a session, and records the status information of the session in said second storage unit when establishing the session. 
     
     
         96 . A shared-authentication apparatus according to  claim 95 , wherein when disconnecting the session, the server management apparatus deletes the status information of the disconnected session from said second storage unit new. 
     
     
         97 . A shared-authentication apparatus according to  claim 94 , wherein the server management apparatus disconnects the session in synchronism with an event notification output from the server apparatus. 
     
     
         98 . A shared-authentication apparatus according to  claim 97 , wherein the event notification represents that the user of the terminal apparatus has logged out from the server apparatus. 
     
     
         99 . A shared-authentication apparatus according to  claim 97 , wherein the event notification represents that the user of the terminal apparatus has failed in logging in to the server apparatus. 
     
     
         100 . A shared-authentication apparatus comprising:
 a determination unit that determines whether a user of a terminal apparatus which accesses a server apparatus via a network has an authority to use the server apparatus; and   a sharing control unit that controls, based on a determination result of said determination unit, whether to allow session establishment processing which is performed via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network upon communication between the terminal apparatus and the server apparatus,   wherein the terminal apparatus is a communication session centralizing apparatus comprising a session control unit that performs the session establishment processing on behalf of at least one user terminal which receives a service provided by the server apparatus.   
     
     
         101 . A shared-authentication apparatus according to  claim 100 , wherein
 the communication session centralizing apparatus comprises a third storage unit that holds a correspondence relationship between a user identifier to be used to uniquely identify the user of the terminal apparatus and a session identifier to be used to uniquely identify a session, and   said session control unit records the correspondence relationship in said third storage unit when establishing the session.   
     
     
         102 . A shared-authentication apparatus according to  claim 101 , wherein when disconnecting the session, said session control unit deletes the correspondence relationship of the disconnected session from said third storage unit. 
     
     
         103 . A shared-authentication apparatus according to  claim 100 , wherein said session control unit acquires a communication resource identifier used in the signaling protocol corresponding to a communication resource identifier of a communication partner included in a communication message output from the terminal apparatus by referring to a first table that holds a correspondence relationship between a communication resource identifier used in a communication protocol of the terminal apparatus and the communication resource identifier used in the signaling protocol, and establishes the session for the communication partner terminal specified by the acquired communication resource identifier. 
     
     
         104 . A shared-authentication apparatus according to  claim 103 , wherein said session control unit acquires communication attribute information corresponding to the user of the terminal apparatus that has output the communication message by referring to a second table that holds a correspondence relationship between the communication attribute information and the user identifier to be used to uniquely identify the user of the terminal apparatus, and negotiates with the communication partner terminal using the acquired communication attribute information when establishing the session. 
     
     
         105 . A shared-authentication apparatus according to  claim 103 , wherein said session control unit acquires communication attribute information corresponding to a combination of the user of the terminal apparatus that has output the communication message and the communication partner terminal by referring to a second table that holds a correspondence relationship between the communication attribute information, the user identifier to be used to uniquely identify the user of the terminal apparatus, and an identifier to be used to uniquely identify the communication partner terminal, and negotiates with the communication partner terminal using the acquired communication attribute information when establishing the session. 
     
     
         106 . A shared-authentication apparatus according to  claim 100 , wherein the communication partner terminal with which said session control unit of the communication session centralizing apparatus negotiates is the server apparatus that provides a service to the terminal apparatus via the network. 
     
     
         107 . A shared-authentication apparatus according to  claim 100 , wherein the communication partner terminal with which said session control unit of the communication session centralizing apparatus negotiates is a server management apparatus that performs session establishment processing and session disconnection processing on behalf of the server apparatus that provides a service to the terminal apparatus via the network. 
     
     
         108 . A computer-readable storage medium storing a program which causes a computer constructing a shared-authentication apparatus provided in a communication system which causes a terminal apparatus to access a server apparatus via a network to function as determination means for determining whether a user of the terminal apparatus has an authority to use the server apparatus, and sharing control means for controlling, based on a result of determination, whether to allow session establishment processing which is performed via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network upon communication between the terminal apparatus and the server apparatus,
 wherein the function as said sharing control means is provided in the server apparatus which performs the session establishment processing.   
     
     
         109 . A computer-readable storage medium storing a program which causes a computer constructing a shared-authentication apparatus provided in a communication system which causes a terminal apparatus to access a server apparatus via a network to function as determination means for determining whether a user of the terminal apparatus has an authority to use the server apparatus, and sharing control means for controlling, based on a result of determination, whether to allow session establishment processing which is performed via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network upon communication between the terminal apparatus and the server apparatus,
 wherein the function as said sharing control means is provided in a server management apparatus which performs the session establishment processing on behalf of the server apparatus.   
     
     
         110 . A communication system comprising a shared-authentication apparatus comprising determination means for determining whether a user of a terminal apparatus which accesses a server apparatus via a network has an authority to use the server apparatus, and sharing control means for controlling, based on a determination result of said determination means, whether to allow session establishment processing which is performed via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network upon communication between the terminal apparatus and the server apparatus,
 wherein said shared-authentication apparatus is provided in the server apparatus which performs the session establishment processing.   
     
     
         111 . A communication system comprising a shared-authentication apparatus comprising determination means for determining whether a user of a terminal apparatus which accesses a server apparatus via a network has an authority to use the server apparatus, and sharing control means for controlling, based on a determination result of said determination means, whether to allow session establishment processing which is performed via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network upon communication between the terminal apparatus and the server apparatus,
 wherein said shared-authentication apparatus is provided in a server management apparatus which performs the session establishment processing on behalf of the server apparatus.   
     
     
         112 . A communication system comprising a shared-authentication apparatus comprising determination means for determining whether a user of a terminal apparatus which accesses a server apparatus via a network has an authority to use the server apparatus, and sharing control means for controlling, based on a determination result of said determination means, whether to allow session establishment processing which is performed via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network upon communication between the terminal apparatus and the server apparatus,
 wherein the terminal apparatus is a communication session centralizing apparatus comprising session control means for performing the session establishment processing on behalf of at least one user terminal which receives a service provided by the server apparatus.   
     
     
         113 . A shared-authentication apparatus comprising:
 determination means for determining whether a user of a terminal apparatus which accesses a server apparatus via a network has an authority to use the server apparatus; and   sharing control means for controlling, based on a determination result of said determination means, whether to allow session establishment processing which is performed via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network upon communication between the terminal apparatus and the server apparatus,   wherein said sharing control means is provided in the server apparatus which performs the session establishment processing.   
     
     
         114 . A shared-authentication apparatus comprising:
 determination means for determining whether a user of a terminal apparatus which accesses a server apparatus via a network has an authority to use the server apparatus; and   sharing control means for controlling, based on a determination result of said determination means, whether to allow session establishment processing which is performed via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network upon communication between the terminal apparatus and the server apparatus,   wherein said sharing control means is provided in a server management apparatus which performs the session establishment processing on behalf of the server apparatus.   
     
     
         115 . A shared-authentication apparatus comprising:
 determination means for determining whether a user of a terminal apparatus which accesses a server apparatus via a network has an authority to use the server apparatus; and   sharing control means for controlling, based on a determination result of said determination means, whether to allow session establishment processing which is performed via a control apparatus of the network using a predetermined signaling protocol to obtain a use permission of the network upon communication between the terminal apparatus and the server apparatus,   wherein the terminal apparatus is a communication session centralizing apparatus comprising session control means for performing the session establishment processing on behalf of at least one user terminal which receives a service provided by the server apparatus.